So, I have been sick for more than a week- some type of crazy sinus junk. Let’s just say it hasn’t been pleasant. I haven’t been able to smell much lately because of it. Honestly, that’s come in handy when the stinky, smelly high school boys walk in my classroom every afternoon, or bring their book bags soaked in sour milk someone spilled on it in the cafeteria. Yesterday, though, I ended up at the doctor & since then my grossness (TMI, I know) has started to clear up.

Now that my nose is beginning to work again, I took a deep breath and I got a big’ol whiff of something nasty. No clue what it was but it was unpleasant. For a second, I almost wished my nose was still clogged up.  I was willing to be stuck in the unpleasantness of sickness if it meant not being able to smell the gross. Just a few minutes later, though, I could smell the pleasant aroma of flowers & the yummy-smelling scentsy I had going in the house. Had I still been sick, I would’ve given up that pleasure, too.

It kind of made me think, we often treat our faith & love a lot like we treat our noses. A lot of times, we try to be faithful …unless it’s inconvenient or we “don’t feel like it.” We pray that God will provide “this” or do “that” for us, but when it comes time to step out of our comfort zone for His sake, we back down or turn away. When another imperfect human being that calls themselves a Christian does something very “un-Christian”, we get hurt, we get angry, we blame God, we leave. We want all the benefits of love without the pains- I know that in my own life. I’ve been hurt in the past, in friendships & relationships- so it felt better to “turn off” the love than to leave it on. The positives of that? You don’t feel the pain or hurt because you just don’t care. The side effects? You enter a downward cycle- you become bitter, angry, & cold, therefore no one wants to be around you…which only makes you feel worse.

As much as life brings us inconvenience & pain, the positives still outweigh the negatives. Yes, God hasn’t answered my prayers how I hoped, sometimes it really hurts, but it makes me grow stronger & rely on Him even more. Yes, I’ve been hurt in relationships & friendships, but only a few times, while, the love, joy, laughter, & good memories I’ve made in life far outweigh the bad.
Don’t sacrifice the infinite amount of joy & good for the sake of a few hurts.
Desire love, faith, & life.
Don’t desire a cold to block the smell of sour milk & sacrifice the sweet aromas while you’re at it.
Desire health. Desire love & faith- fight for it.

“Life is full of beauty. Notice it.
Notice the bumble bee, the small child,
and the smiling faces.
Smell the rain, and feel the wind.
Live your life to the fullest potential,
and fight for your dreams.”
– Ashley Smith